If it's not doing it on the PF (and you do have to literally floor the throttle in tip), then you may have some slack in the throttle cable, check and see if you can adjust it where it meets the engine.

The easiest way to test kick down button:

1. Car is parked. Gearbox is in "P" position.
2. Ignition is OFF.
3. Marker lights are ON, all buttons are lit red.

Push accelerator pedal and press kick down button. "+" and "-" LEDs on the gearbox panel will switch to full power (just like in Tiptronic mode).
Release kick down button. "+" and "-" LEDS return to half capacity burning.

The above procedure only works when gearbox is in "P" position, only with ignition OFF, and only when marker lights are ON.

What are the 'marker lights'? I tried this with the ignition on (but engine not running) and it seemed to work. Initially nothing, until I turned the kick down switch on - then it did just as you said.

>> What are the 'marker lights'?

Lights stalk one step up :)

>> I tried this with the ignition on (but engine not running) and it seemed to work

Interesting. Perhaps I didn't notice something :)

Marker lights are simply having your lights set on the sidelight setting / sidelights on Jim, so that the switchgear all glows red +++

Yes, it works like Sergie said. Mine was switched off - can't wait to give it a try! :)

Mine has got to be turned off as it won't kick down. Ill be checking this in the morning and hope that its just in the off position. :)

It works +++ now to watch the MPG go down :)

Definitely the cheapest, easiest and quickest performance upgrade... :D. Fuel consumption only gets worse when you use it ;)

Blinking flip!
 

Well, resurrecting an age-old thread from back in the mists of time...

I checked mine this afternoon by flooring it in 3rd gear whilst in Tiptronic aka manual mode. Nothing. Not a sniff. Pulled over to the side of the road, turned my knob clockwise (ooo-errr) about an eighth of a turn. I pulled back into a line of traffic and waited a bit before sinking my right foot to the floor. All I can say is that my silver QEII left her berth at a very rude rate of knots and that's probably +++ an understatement. I will admit to being a little bit scared when the gearbox lumped it into first gear (from third gear at 30mph) as it pretty much red-lined straight away.

I am sure that I won't be using this facility on a regular basis but will leave it enabled. It has always struck me how lethargic the auto box can be, especially when you want to get a move on. If I ever have a situation where I can safely 'boot' it in order to avoid a possible accident, it is now possible to extricate one's self out of harm's way. Thank you for this beautiful nugget of old information. It was certainly news to me.

IT - thanks for originally writing this
Johnny - thanks for digging it up.

Did the 'flooring it in Tip' test today - 70kph up a moderate hill 4th gear.
Stayed in 4th and slowly accelerated away...

So I pulled into the servo at the top of the hill and checked the kickdown switch. Turned it clockwise about 1/4 turn for a nice satisfying "click".
Repeated the test and got an immediate downshift from 4th to 2nd and powered away up the next hill.

It's a very satisfying test BTW!



...Own the car for 3 years and still find something new!

I never imagined when I wrote this post that it would still be relevant today. I wonder how many D2's went their entire life without ever kicking down. Bit of a shame really, its quite an enhanced sense of urgency when its working right +++

I tried this on my car the day before yesterday as mine was clicked "off" instead of "on".
I was quite alarmed to see the needle leap into the red almost instantly when the pedal was floored. I'm not the boy-racer type so I don't think I'll be making much use of this but it's a "nice to have" if the situation arises for a quick gettaway :rolleyes:

I was pretty sure mine was on already, but as I had to go out and "prepare" for tomorrows meet at The Leopard (top up with Tesco Momentum ;) ) I did a quick test.
Plenty of "urgency" at 90% throttle anyway, but even more with kickdown. :D
I did notice that with cruise control set that seemed to disengage when kickdown was used; is that a feature or an error on my car? :Confused:

Has anyone else found this to be correct on their D3s?

Great thread BTW+++

My D3 was like this - doesn't seem the same on any of the D4's I've driven though +++

Checked mine today. Switch was on. Massive kick in the back when tested and red lined almost immediately. Happy Days +++:D

Just clicked mine clockwise this morning +++ Haven't had a chance or need to floor/roll coal just yet.

Just checked my D3 and the switch was in the off position. Oddly enough I never use the kickdown but I decided to try it yesterday morning and felt the car was slow to respond. Will be interesting to see how it goes now that the switch is on

What a prophetic statement
 

It's the gift that keeps on giving... lol

Hi There,

The ol' D2 S8 certainly have a good lurch on them.....I kinda miss mine for that, could always get a reation out of a new passenger ;)

I recall testing the top speed and I was at 145 and booted it and it STILL lurched, dropped a gear and went for it. Backed her down pretty quick after that as I didn't feel safe driving at those speeds!!!

Always better to have a get me out of trouble button and not need to use it than the other way round!

Lee

Hahaha, on my w12 was off. Im so happy becouse idiot owner before me did not have chance to fully jerk gearbox.

Hah, late to the party but I've just enabled kick down on mine. Only 2.8 2wd but goes well enough....... :)

There is no shame in turning up to the party, fashionably late of course. It only took me 7 years! It's great that people are still finding this 11 year-old post useful, not only for the D2 but also the D3.